Most of the big-ticket names are out of the running by now, with just four teams left. Kyrie Irving and the Duke Blue Devils bit the dust in the round of 16; the team that beat them, Arizona, fell one round later. Down goes Derrick Williams. Harrison Barnes and UNC also went out in the Elite Eight. BYU's sensational Jimmer Fredette is long gone.
So who's left?
Not many blue-chippers, really. One half of the bracket features a pair of Cinderellas — and while Butler and VCU make very nice stories, they don't make NBA prospects.
That leaves two teams. One's Kentucky, and if you know John Calipari, you know he's the master of cranking out one-and-done guys for the top of the draft lottery. Just to name a few: John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans, Derrick Rose.
The next two names on that list will be Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones. Both Wildcat freshmen were already shoo-ins to go in the lottery, and the last two weeks have only solidified that. No mystery there.
But then you have Connecticut, and then you have Kemba Walker. And that's where things get really interesting.
If you're an NBA draft nut, you're tuning in this weekend to see Kemba. He's the one player left standing with the most potential, the most intrigue and the most questions still unanswered. He's the reason that this year's Final Four will be can't-miss television.
Let's face it: On paper, Kemba doesn't exactly scream "NBA-ready." Pro scouts look for big, athletic bodies, and Kemba's is anything but. He's listed at 6-foot-1, but that can't possibly be accurate — he looks more like he's about 5-foot-9. He's not strong, he's not tough, and he's not the super-athlete that NBA teams look for at the top of the draft. He's just a quick little guy that can hit shots. For every Allen Iverson who makes it in the League, there are a whole lot of nobodies who flame out.
But by leading UConn on an incredible run through the Big East and NCAA tournaments, Kemba has made a name for himself as a Guy Who Wins Big Games. UConn had to topple four straight powerhouse programs to win the Big East — Georgetown, Pitt, Syracuse, Louisville. Four huge matchups in four days. Kemba carried the team on his back and won them all. Since then, the Huskies have plowed through four more teams in the West regional, including Williams and his Arizona Wildcats, to reach the Final Four.
Every year, there's one guy who dramatically impacts his draft stock with a big Big Dance. Last spring, it was Butler's Gordon Hayward. The year before that, it was Hasheem Thabeet. This time around, Kemba Walker is just begging to be that guy.
He's already put together three very nice college seasons, averaged 23.9 points per game as a junior, been named an All-American and led his team all the way to the Final Four. But with one more big weekend, Kemba can really put himself over the top.
What do you think of Kemba Walker's future in the NBA? Share your thoughts below.
